Hockey: Home turfs lifting quality of play

Tauranga's new international quality water turfs are drawing rave reviews from players, coaches and administrators alike after just two months of competitive matches.

Tauranga Hockey Association general manager Clyde du Toit was thrilled with the performance of the surface as a good crowd gathered to watch a top-of-the-table clash between Bayleys Otumoetai and Puke Indians at the Tauranga Hockey Centre on Saturday.

"We've had two months of competition now and it's really been going well - the turfs are playing well and the players love playing on the turfs," said du Toit.

"I still like the bright blue colours - when you watch the world league in Holland on the green turf it doesn't look as exciting. The facilities are great and the new electronic scoreboard is great for both spectators and players.

"The teams, including the travelling teams, really enjoy coming here."

He believes the benefits of the city having such a surface can already be seen by an improvement in the quality of play.

"I think there has definitely been an increase in the level of play - it's improved the talented players' skill levels and because it's a new surface it's got a carpet pile of 12mm so the ball tends to sit up. It certainly tests the players and their ability to hit and sweep the ball cleanly."

The New Zealand Maori team and the New Zealand women's sevens side are booked in to use the facility this year, with an open invitation also extended to both Black Sticks sides.

"We have extended an invitation for them to come towards the end of this year or the beginning of next year, so we are certainly hoping that we will have some of our Black Sticks gracing our turfs again."

Bayleys Otumoetai coach Aaron Buchanan partly put his side's strong, unbeaten start to the year down to the turf.

"We'll thank Tauranga Hockey for getting this turf - that's why we have gone through pretty well for the first half of the season. We've still got another half to go so we aren't counting our chickens just yet, but we've had a good start."